808. Chapter 808

After Last Call

Episode 3.10

By UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Last call for whoever own Castle, since it isn't me. Rating: K Time: See above

Author's note: This is a sequel to Chapters 785 and 788.

"I knew you were beautiful, but I had no idea what a rare beauty you really were."

Captain Kate Beckett, of the pirate ship Revenge, blushed and looked away from her lover. "Richard, I am afraid that I have become most unladylike since I was forced to enter this life." Captain Beckett was dressed in a royal blue gown that showed off her narrow waist and showed just a bit of her generous bosom. Her hair, usually worn tied back behind her head had been curled with the help of Alexis Castle and now fell in auburn ringlets around her face. Her tanned face had been made up with the assistance of L'Anie, the African queen they had rescued, who had done wonders with rice powder and a bit of red juice.

Dr. Richard Castle, who had become the ship's doctor for the Revenge and the lover of her captain, smiled. "You have been a lady since the day I first saw you and nothing could ever keep you from being a lady."

"You are too gallant, Richard. But remember, I am a wanted pirate. If I am caught, I shall hang."

"All the more reason I should go with you tonight."

"No, Richard. I am landing in Kingston tonight to meet with a King's man to whom I will show evidence that Governor Bracken has abused his powers and grown rich from allowing other pirates to sell their stolen goods in Jamaica and that he conspires with the Spaniards to take and loot our British ships and plantations. As I am a pirate already, I must appear to be an honorable woman. To have a man that I openly call my lover with me when I meet with the King's representative might be enough to make him doubt the evidence I shall bring."

"Kate, should something happen to you…."

"Something has happened to me, Richard. My parents were foully murdered by Bracken's henchmen and I was forced to run for my life. I must do this."

"We could solve that problem easily."

She smiled. "And how would we do that?"

Dr. Castle dropped to one knee. "Katherine Houghton Beckett, will you marry me?"

He looked up and saw a tear in her eye. "Richard, I cannot."

Castle's face became like stone. "I fear Captain Beckett that I have misunderstood your feelings for me. I apologize and…" He could say no more because Captain Beckett was kissing him.

She broke the kiss. "I love you, Richard. But I am a pirate. I cannot link your fate to mine and risk putting your neck in the hangman's noose with mine. I have put it about that I am holding you and your daughter against your wills, so that if we are taken, you may live."

"It would be no life worth living without you, Katherine." He smiled at her. "Perhaps I should put it about that you shackle me only with the fetters of love."

She kissed him once again. "I must go, my love, but I shall return to you."

Kate wrapped a lace mantilla about her and had Short Josh Silver row her to the dock in Kingston. From there they walked to a small inn on the outskirts of town called Ye Olde Haunt. When Kate entered she saw only one man sitting in the common room. A dark, saturnine man wrapped in a voluminous boat cloak. She walked to him.

"Are you the King's man?"

He nodded and stood, showing that he wore the scarlet uniform of a Royal Officer. "I am Colonel Vaughn, and you, my dear, are under arrest."

Kate reached for the dagger concealed in the folds of her dress, but Short Josh grabbed her hand. "You'd betray me, Short Josh Silver?"

He shrugged. "I lost my livelihood because of Governor Bracken and now I regain my livelihood from the same Governor Bracken." Short Josh tugged at his forelock. "Beggin' your pardon, sir. May I have what's due me?"

Colonel Vaughn smiled. "Indeed you shall have all that is due to you." He drove a dagger into Short Josh's heart.

Kate was grabbed from behind by several soldiers. Colonel Vaughn smiled coldly at her. "It's a shame that such a pretty neck must so soon be stretched by the hangman. I could teach you so much."

"Have these men unhand me and I'll show you a trick you'll never forget." Captain Kate spat at the man.

While all of this was occurring, no one noticed a black man leaning against the wall of Ye Olde Haunt, apparently insensible due to an overindulgence in rum. However, the man, Eltee by name, was one of the warriors who had been made slaves with their queen and had been liberated with the help of Captain Beckett.

Eltee made his way back to the Revenge to report what he had seen, causing an uproar on the ship.

"What shall we do?" Cried Ryan, the doughty Irishman.

"Madre de Dios!" Said Esposito.

"I shall go after her." Said Dr. Castle. "I shall save her or die in the attempt." He picked up his rapier and a brace of pistols.

"Senor, we cannot let you go by yourself." Epsosito said, and the crew roared their assent.

"But who shall lead us?" Ryan asked. "We're all good in a brawl or a sea fight, but who'll plan this?"

"I shall." Dr. Castle said, determinedly.

"Father," said fair Alexis, "you are a man of peace, not of war."

"Then who shall lead us?" The crew asked.

"I shall." Alexis said. "I ask that I be appointed as the acting captain until Captain Beckett is back. I make this request under the Laws of Brethren of the Coast."

"How do you know of our laws?" Ryan asked.

"I read law at Oxford. And military history."

Kate's trial was held the next day and with Governor Bracken and Colonel Vaughn in attendance, the jury soon condemned Kate to death.

Governor Bracken smiled. "By an odd coincidence, I just happen to have built a gallows that will put an end to this mischievous wench and allow me to leave Jamaica and buy my way into the aristocracy and into power. You will be my faithful successor, will you not, Vaughn?"

"Of course, Governor. Or should I call you My Lord?"

"Soon enough, my boy. Soon enough. Now let's go enjoy the show. I've gathered up everyone so that they may witness the folly of opposing me."

Kate, now dressed in a shabby black dress was walked slowly to the gallows while the Death March was played. At the foot of the gallows was a tall, elderly man, leaning heavily on a cane.

"Who the devil are you?" Demanded Captain Colin Hunt, Vaughn's right hand man.

The old man cupped his hand behind his ear. "Why I'm the Reverend Mr. Rodgers, come to give the blessings and joy of the good book to this poor sinner. Certainly you would not let her soul go to perdition with no words of hope everlasting?"

Hunt looked back at Bracken, who waved his hand distractedly. "Get on with it, you old fool."

"That I shall." The old man said, drawing a rapier from his cane and dispatching Hunt with it, then cutting Kate's bonds. As he did so, the crowd pulled out pistols and cutlasses and began fighting with Vaughn's soldiers.

Alexis Castle drew her long barreled rifled pistol and took aim at Bracken. Unluckily, Vaughn ran in front of the governor just as she fired and fell, dying.

Bracken ran to alert the rest of the garrison, and the pirates, and their captain, ran to the safety of their ship.

Kate looked back towards land as they rowed to their ship. "All of the documents that prove Bracken's villainy are now gone. He has destroyed them."

"Then we'll find more." Dr. Castle said, determinedly.

Once back on board, Dr. Castle carried Kate to her cabin. "Are you all right, Kate?"

"I had a terrible fright, but as long as I am with you, I am fine."

"I'm afraid that after today, no one will believe that I am being held by you against my will."

"I fear that is so, Richard." She smiled at him. "Do you have a plan?"

Again he dropped to one knee. "Yes, I have a plan. Katherine Houghton Beckett, will you marry me?"

"Yes, Richard, I will."